By XIAOMING ZHENG
Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class
Navy Office of
Community Outreach
SASEBO, JAPAN—Petty Officer 3rd Class Reynaldo Ruvalcaba, a native of San Benito, serves in Japan aboard a U.S. Navy warship.
Ruvalcaba attended San Benito High School and graduated in 2018.
Ruvalcaba joined the Navy four years ago.
“I did JROTC in high school,” said Ruvalcaba. “I looked up to my chief back then, and I joined knowing that the Navy will teach me important skills.”
Today, Ruvalcaba serves as an aviation boatswain’s mate handler aboard USS America. Skills and values learned in the Navy are similar to those found in San Benito.
“Since I was from a small town, I learned that you have to work hard for what you want,” said Ruvalcaba. “Things are not going to be handed to you.”
USS America is an amphibious warship. These types of ships embark, transport and land U.S. Marines for a variety of warfare missions. Because of their inherent capabilities, these ships have been and will continue to be called upon to support humanitarian and other contingency missions on short notice, according to Navy officials.
As a member of the Navy, Ruvalcaba is part of a world-class organization focused on maintaining maritime dominance, strengthening partnerships, increasing competitive warfighting capabilities and sustaining combat-ready forces in support of the National Defense Strategy.
“The Navy is important to National Defense because we show presence and make sure we are maintaining the peace,” said Ruvalcaba. “We promote freedom of the sea and navigation.”
Ruvalcaba serves in Japan as part of the Forward Deployed Naval Forces.
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